Dips

Thursday, December 31, 2015

In the late 1970s, Saturday Night Live had a recurring sketch in which Steve Martin and Dan Aykroyd would portray Yortuk and Georg Festrunk, two brothers who had immigrated from Yugoslavia to the United States. Their catchphrase, "two wild and crazy guys," was ubiquitous during my junior high school years.

With two Yugoslavs on the Dips roster, the temptation proved too great for Washington Star writer Kathleen Maxa not to have a little fun with.

For larger image, place cursor on article, right click and select "Open link in new window."

One local Star reader took great umbrage to the piece for a variety of reasons: A perceived swipe at Xerox salesman, the questionable reputation of the female clientele at two Georgetown nightspots, and the Dips need for positive coverage, rather than "this garbage."

Ms. Maxa's unprinted reply may have been something to the effect of, "lighten up."

Saturday, December 19, 2015

WashingtonDiplomats.Blogspot is proud to announce it is the new home of, and archivist for, the Danzansky Collection of team records and memorabilia from Mr. Stephen Danzansky. Mr. Danzansky served as President and CEO of the Washington Diplomats from 1975 until the team's dissolution in December, 1980.

In the resolution of appointment, Mr. Danzansky stated he, "desires to publish and make more publicly available the collection of artifacts and information in his possession and provide a more open and accessible vehicle and agent for the maintenance and dissemination of information concerning (the) Diplomats."

Resolution of Appointment and Agreement

Pieces from the collection:

The only competitive trophy awarded to the franchise in their history, from the 1978 Presidents Cup, Seoul, Korea.

Johan Cruyff Match Jersey.

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Circa 1977/1978 team warm up suit.

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1977 D.C. City Council Resolution honoring the Diplomats.

Press Archive.

WashingtonDiplomats.Blogspot gratefully thanks Mr. Danzansky for his generosity in keeping this chapter of Washington, D.C. sports history alive and available.

Thursday, November 12, 2015

Sunday, October 25, 2015

Soon after Pele signed with the Cosmos in 1975, the Washington Post's Donald Huff wrote about several of the Diplomats trying to live on an NASL salary if you were not an international superstar.

It's Hard To Live On Soccer Pay

Donald Huff

The Washington Post

July 27, 1975

WASHINGTON — Brazilian
soccer superstar Pele recently signed a $7 million contract to play for the New
York Cosmos for three years. Washington Diplomats reserve goalkeeper George
Taratsides recently received a $300 raise and now makes $2,000 a season.

Like many North American
Soccer League players, Taratsides finds it impossible to live on his soccer
salary. Consequently, he has another job.

"I help my father
run a lunch wagon in Baltimore," said Taratsides, a former soccer
All-America at the University of Maryland. "But I don't worry about the
money so much, I would play for nothing."

There is little jealousy
of Pele among his NASL teammates. Pele's presence this year pushed the league
into the American sports limelight for the first time.

Nevertheless, while
Pele's bank account skyrockets, the average professional soccer player in this
country must moonlight just to get by.

Diplomats' president Jim
Karvellas says the Washington club payroll is one of the highest in the league.
But the players realize playing soccer isn't their main job. It's sort of a
bonus for them," Karvellas added.

Most Diplomat salaries
range between $2,000 and $5,000 for the season.

"It helps,"
said Leroy DeLeon of his soccer pay. DeLeon works as an engineer eight hours a
day for the Savoy Construction Co. before reporting to practice,

"But I wish it could
be full time," he continued. "If I made say $15,000, or $20,000, I
wouldn't need another job." He makes a little over $4,200 with the
Diplomats.

Unlike DeLeon, some of
the Washington players play full time in Europe and compete here when that
season ends.

"It (the NASL) just
fills the gap for us," said Mick Barry, who plays in England.

According to Barry, many
of the foreign players earn between $300-$500 a week in Europe, depending on where
the team finishes in the standings.

Karvellas said the league
is in the process of working ways to keep the players here year-round.

"Most of them would
like to stay here all year, but we have to provide some sort of income for
them," said Karvellas, "Winter and summer camps, sporting goods
stores with the Diplomats as employees are ideas we're tossing around."

Karl Minor and Brian
Pillinger, both salesmen, Bert Grell, a government employee, and Roy Willner,
Maryland school system employee, are other players who work to supplement their
soccer salaries.

Alan Ross and Mark
Lowenstein are still amateurs and are paid $50 weekly by the club.

Diplomats coach Dennis
Viollet says most players make adjustments, and are looking forward to higher
salaries in the future.

Monday, October 5, 2015

Wednesday, September 23, 2015

Today, there are plenty of places to get advice about dealing with an irritating co-worker. Most of us have had to attend a group discussion/workshop on proper behavior in the workplace. This was not the case in decades past. What if the person creating a "hostile work environment," as it is called today, was one of the most recognized persons in the world in your particular field?

This seems to have been the case with some of Johan Cruyff's NASL teammates. Ian Plenderleith, in his book, Rock 'N' Roll Soccer, The Short Life and Fast Times of the North American Soccer League, noted that, "wherever Cruyff went...dressing-room discontent was sure to follow." Gordon Bradley's son once rhetorically asked, "He was never wrong, was he?"

Ken Mokgojoa in action against the Sting, 1980.

One of the first articles to address this scenario during JC's 1980 stint with the Dips was printed in The Washington Post on April 17, 1980, just three games into the season. Under the headline "Mokgojoa Confused Dip, Unnerved by 'Yelling'," writer Donald Huff explained the new atmosphere some veteran Dips observed.

"I don't like people telling me what to do, yelling at me," said Ken Mokgojoa, who was in his third year with the club. Nicknamed "The Horse" because of his imposing stature, he was by nature a "shy, quiet, unassuming type" who only wanted to "fit in and be a part of the team."

He admitted to feeling confused and nervous since some of the new personnel had joined the team for the 1980 season. Don Droege remembers that Cruyff "pissed a lot of players off."

No one seemed exempt from JC's abrasive tongue. Three days after the a fore mentioned article the Dips played the Dallas Tornado at RFK Stadium. During the match, John Feinstein focused on Cruyff's demeanor.

Annoyed, yet again.

"On the field, Cruyff talks to everyone. He talks to teammates. He talks to opponents. He talks to his bench. He talks to the officials."

"At one point, his teammates did not rotate as he wanted and he let them know he was not pleased. Once when defender Nick Mijatovic passed elsewhere than to Cruyff when he thought he was open, Cruyff stopped, threw his arms up in the air and yelled, "For God's sake, Nick."

"Moments later, when another play failed to develop, Cruyff stopped dead in his tracks. 'Come on, people,' he implored. 'Somebody please move.' "

"Throughout the second half he kept looking at Coach Gordon Bradley as if to say, 'Do something.' Bradley only smiled each time Cruyff waved his arms in disgust."

"That's Johan's way," Bradley said. "If he ever stopped waving his arms and yelling I would wonder what was wrong with him."

Sunday, August 30, 2015

The knowledge that Sonny Werblin, President of Madison Square Garden, Inc. (MSG), which purchased the Diplomats in October, 1978, was now personally involved with the franchise infused much enthusiasm into the Dips loyal fan base as well as the local press. After all, this was the same man who took on the National Football League with the New York Jets a decade earlier and came out the clear victor.What steps would be initially taken in his quest to make "the Diplomats the best soccer team in the world as soon as possible," as he stated when introduced as the team's new CEO? "Werblin's past history suggests an aggressive marketing campaign," the Washington Post predicted. "He has believed in spending money to make money." The team's forthcoming 1979 season ticket mailer (right) more than met this expectation. The 1978 version had been a tri-folded, double sided piece of card stock. MSG upgraded the 1979 edition to a ten page booklet containing color photography of the team in action and color graphics.

Another important departure from previous years was MSG's decision to make Sunday afternoons the prime choice for home games. Previously, Saturday nights had been thought of as the best time.

In 1978, the team hosted three games on Sunday afternoons, all in April, and nine Saturday evening starts. In 1979, all home weekend games were scheduled for Sundays at 2:30.

On January 23, 1979, the club hosted a lunch that included front office staff and Coach Gordon Bradley. While there, Werblin spoke with Washington Post columnist Ken Denlinger as to why this was the right time for MSG to get involved in American soccer. The writer started his piece with what seemed to be a few words of caution directed squarely at the boss:

“A
lot of men with fine minds and fat wallets assumed that because America was
fascinated with the 1966 World Cup on televisions it soon would view soccer with
the same passion as nearly every other nation. They were wrong.”

Denlinger then shared Werblin's mindset as to entering the world of soccer at this point and time. "Soccer
will go for three reasons:

First
of all, mothers would rather see their boys play soccer than football because
there aren’t as many injuries.

Then
the economy comes into it. Soccer is relatively cheap, and schools are getting
to the point where they can’t afford football (the economic boom of the Reagan
years was still an uncertainty).

Finally,
everybody can play. Ordinary men. And you can see the faces of soccer players.”

After declaring his studies revealed that many in the D.C. area

did not know how to get to RFK Stadium, each copy of the teams

1979 pocket schedule included a map and directions.

What about Werblin's opinion of Washington as a sports town? "One of the things our studies show is that a whole lot of people don't know how to get to RFK Stadium. They know it's in Washington, but where? We want (the Dips) to be family entertainment," which echoed the philosophy John Carbray had introduced two years previous. "And we have absolutely no thought of leaving. We might start if we lost a couple of million. But we bought this team as an investment, not to leave town. We did not come in as carpetbaggers."As the Dips, and MSG's first, season opener approached, there was a buzz about the franchise that was palpable in the area. The Washington Star noted the atmosphere with the following headline:

The article noted, "The Dips...profess to be going big-time. Changes are evident on the roster, in the locker room and in the minds of the club's players and coaches." Gordon Bradley reflected, "The thing I've noticed most different about the club is its organization. We're here to stay, you might say." Oh, the irony.

The season started off well. Through their first eight games, the club had a record of 6-2 and were outscoring their opponents 21-10. However, for the second straight spring, the DC area was in the throws of Bullets fever. Washington's basketball franchise was defending their 1978 championship, and the NBA playoffs coincided with the first weeks of the NASL season. On Wednesday, May 16, the Dips were scheduled to host the Memphis Rogues at 8 pm. The Bullets were also playing in San Antonio in a must win to stay alive contest, which would be broadcast on local television.In their article previewing the match, The Washington Star detailed the economic toll the Bullets playoff run was having on the Diplomats. "They (the Dips) are averaging 11,782 per home date, but are about 4,000 below that average when the Bullets play. A recent television survey showed one million people , from an area of roughly three million people, watched a recent Bullets game on WDCA-20. That caused one Dips official to say of tonight's draw: 'If we get 5,000 I'll be very satisfied.' "Team management was well aware of the Bullets conundrum and had tried to get Memphis to agree to play the game the following night. "We thought it would be good for the community but Memphis wouldn't cooperate," GM John Carbray told the Star. "I proposed it 10 days ago, but they said that they couldn't change because of radio commitments and that they already had purchased airline tickets. I thought that excuse was rather light." The team official who expressed satisfaction with a crowd of 5,000 was content. The Dips won, 4-1, in front of a crowd of 5,223. The Bullets season finally came to an end on Friday evening, June 1, a full two months into the Dips season.

A simple Rene Breevort pass produced a visible spray that

demonstrated how dismal the weather conditions were

on June 3, 1979. Most attending fans abandoned seats near

the field for those with cover farther way from the action.

Two days later, Sunday, June 3, would be the Dips first weekend home game without competing with the Bullets for local sports fans attention. Perhaps MSG anticipated this as the Dips true coming out party for 1979. In any event, the weather was not conducive for an outdoor party, or any other outdoor activity. The high temperature in DC that day was 71 degrees, and the dew point was 67 degrees. Donald Huff of the Post noted, "a game-long downpour that turned the field into a swamp."For most, common sense would dictate a large number of people would not choose to attend with such weather, seeing that there were still eight home dates left. Yet 11,450 fans attended. Still, MSG representatives were not impressed.After the match, MSG VP Jack Krumpe openly grumbled about the Dips attendance figures after seven home games. "I'm disappointed with our (MSG) ability to stimulate the fans in this market. Maybe I'm an impatient fellow, but we'd been hoping to see the rewards of the stimulation we've used quicker than we have so far." "The thought of moving the club hasn't even crossed our minds. That doesn't mean if someone makes us a great offer to move to Boise tomorrow, we wouldn't take it." Huh? Krumpe did note that the money from team ticket sales had risen impressively from 1978. "The (attendance) numbers aren't as important as the dollars, and they (the dollars) are doubled."The Post noted, "In some ways yesterday's crowd of 11,450 had to be encouraging to the Garden. According to the Dips, 3,050 ticket holders stayed at home, indicating the crowd would have been closer to 16,000 or 17,000 had the weather been better."To some the glass was half full. To others, it was half empty.Frustration and confusion were clearly reigning in two camps. MSG was frustrated with smaller than anticipated attendance numbers and confused about how to fix the situation. The second group was the local press, who were frustrated with contradictory quotes coming from high ranking MSG officials and confused as to how they bode for the Dips future in DC.

The situation came to a head on June 24, when Werblin spoke with the press prior to the Dips match against the Philadelphia Fury at RFK Stadium. "If there is not growth by the end of two seasons for us with the club then we'd have to sit down and seriously think about moving," Werblin said. "I don't mean that as an ultimatum or anything." It turns out MSG was already quietly exploring new cities for their team.

MSG hoped that Sunday afternoon matches would attract large crowds. The
Dips had three of these scheduled in June, 1979, on the 3, 17 and 24. As the
historical record attests, the weather did not cooperate. Despite great
business success, Sonny Werblin's clout did have its limits.

Werblin stated that he was "disappointed" by the fans' reception of the 1979 team, while still acknowledging legitimate, and uncontrollable, reasons. "We've been stymied by a combination of the Bullets and the weather (right), I know that. I mean they are like a buzz saw together." Adding insult to injury, Werblin admitted that the Diplomats most likely would have moved to New York and played in Shea Stadium had it not been for the Cosmos insistence of a $12 million indemnity fee. Yet Werblin seemed to be forgetting that Jack Krumpe had recently acknowledged that money from ticket sales had doubled from the previous season.

Fans took Werblin to task. "You can't intimidate people in Washington into coming out to the games," said fan Linda Twitty. "I've been to a couple of games because I was curious and was interested in learning the game of soccer. I certainly won't go back because someone threatened to move the team. I'll go because I want to go and when I want to go; it's as simple as that."

One anonymously quoted team employee said Werblin's comments were "tasteless." Adding, "if it wasn't an ultimatum, what was it?" Jim Steele did speak on the record, calling Werblin's remarks "unbelievable."

Both The Post and The Star seized this opportunity to expose MSG's contradictory rhetoric and hypocrisy. In a June 27 column, Ken Denlinger put the onus of the Dips attendance problems squarely on Werblin.

He started his piece reprinting Werblin's January "We did not come in as carpetbaggers" statement, directly followed by Werblin's contradictory comments of June 24. Then, he went for the jugular.

"For the first time in a remarkable career, Werblin has complained of lack of support instead of offering compelling reasons for fans to cherish his teams."

"Werblin has given Washington nothing beyond a few imaginative promotions. With money available and the inclination to spend it, Werblin's Dips could have given the Cosmos a fierce battle."

"Washington fans have been spending more on the Dips than ever, double and triple in some instances. But Werblin, in less than a year in control of the team, is impatient."

"Werblin's Sunday threat leads one to wonder whether Gulf & Western ever was serious about giving soccer a serious go or simply jump off at the first sign of danger."

"Werblin clearly enjoys a sporting scrap. In Washington, though, he is backing away without offering even one solid jab."

The Star's John Schultz made other valid points about MSG's handling of the franchise. The team

"draws a young, suburban, middle-class audience. Werblin wants the movers and shakers of Washington. The two worlds couldn't be farther apart. Instead of crucifying Washington as a second-rate sports town, Werblin would do well to look inside the Dips organization and see what's happening.

He is quoted as saying 'your important Washington people leave town on weekends,' yet 11 of the Dips 15 home games are played on Sunday afternoon (a move MSG initiated). He says 'you sell sports as much on the news page as the sports page,' yet the club diligently is seeking an under-18 crowd that really couldn't care less about Washington politics or its people.' "

Schultz astutely pointed out that Werblin and MSG didn't understand Washington or it's inhabitants. The boss agreed, confiding, "we haven't been able to find the real Washington. Usually we can put our finger on a market and get a pulse for the place. There are a million people (actually three million) out there someplace. We have to find them."

Fortuitously, NASL Commissioner Phil Woosnam was in town attending a luncheon on June 27 as the storm over Werblin's words simmered and swirled like a late afternoon DC thunderstorm. His view of soccer in the nation's capital was in stark contrast to Werblin's and MSG.

"I'm not sure what Sonny was thinking when he said those things", Woosnam said. "My personal feeling is that Washington has come a long way to get where it is today. I think the franchise is ready to take off in the next couple of years. The crowds will come." He expected Washington to have a team in the NASL "for a long, long time," elaborating that "Washington, New York and Los Angeles are the key cities if we (the NASL) want to gain international acceptance."

News about the Dips television ratings
provided something positive during this otherwise tumultuous time. Television
ratings giant Arbitron reported that the Dips received an average rating of 4.0
for their first five games during the 1979 campaign that were broadcast on
local TV. At the time, ABC’s nationally televised NASL games only had an
average of 2.5.

The Dips finished the 1979 regular season with a franchise best record of 19-9. During their last six home games the average attendance was 13, 554. In 1978, they averaged 10,523 over their last six home games. Clearly, progress was being made. However, there are times when two parties may have a different idea regarding the definition of the same word.

Sunday, August 19, arrived as do or die day for the 1979 Dips. They were to play the Los Angeles Aztecs in the second game of their National Conference quarterfinal playoff series at RFK Stadium. Win, and the Dips would force a third "mini-game," which would be played immediately following the first match, to decide who would advance. Lose, and their season would be over.

As if this scenario did not create enough drama for the club's fans, an article appeared in the Post that morning stating that MSG was attempting to arrange a game between the Dips and another NASL team in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on September 29. To quote Sting in the Police song Synchronicity II,this amounted to "a humiliating kick in the crotch." Jerry Saperstein, Chief aid to
Sonny Werblin, confirmed that MSG management had been talking to Milwaukee
officials about the event. “We’re just trying to keep the team active during
the offseason,” Saperstein, who was obviously MSG’s chief distributor of
crapola, said. He contended that an exhibition game half way across the continent did not mean that MSG was eyeing Milwaukee as as a possible future home for the Dips.Officials with the Diplomats were not buying this logic. "They're testing things, experimenting," one said. "They still don't know what the hell they are doing up there." Coach Gordon Bradley was more succinct, "I can't see any reason for playing in Milwaukee." The idea was finally scrapped when MSG could not convince another NASL team to participate.

The match played that day, in 86 degree heat and humidity over 90%, was intense and impassioned. The Dips drew first blood when Bobby Stokes converted a penalty kick just 9 minutes in. Chris Dangerfield and Leo Van Veen of LA netted the next two, seven minutes apart, to give the Aztecs a 2-1 lead. Sakib Viteskic scored his first goal since April to produce a 2-2 tie at halftime.

Mike Dillon celebrates his game tying goal.

Chris Dangerfield put home his second tally of the match early in the second half. As precious time ticked off the clock, the Dips played with ferocity and great emotion. The drama got the best of Dips forward Alan Green, who was ejected with 23:31 second left in the game for bumping into referee David Socha.With the season on the line, playing one man short, the Dips sent everyone to attack the Aztecs goal area. Defender Mike Dillon scored in the 86th minute to tie the match at 3-3.

Jim Steele, top left, Tom O'Hara, far
left, Carmine Marcantonio, Mike
Dillon and goalkeeper Bill Irwin
(in green) are stunned as their season
came to an abrupt end moments before.

There were less than 30 seconds left in the first overtime period when Johan Cruyff started with the ball roughly 70 yards from the Dips goal. He crossed midfield and dashed to the 35 yard line unimpeded. Nearing the Dips penalty arc he was challenged by, and sidestepped, Jim Steele.Just inside the penalty box, Mike Dillon, Tommy O'Hara and Carmine Marcantonio seemingly had him corralled, yet he eluded this trio also. His left foot shot from 14 yards out came only 13 seconds before the Dips would have had a short rest to change ends. (View the goal here) "Only one player in the park could have scored that goal," O'Hara said, "and Cruyff did."After the game, Sonny Werblin discussed his plans for the Dips future. He stated the club would "definitely" be in Washington next season, but would not comment beyond that. “I still think soccer will go here. We had a good product this year. I
won’t use the word disappointing about the attendance but I had hoped it would
have been better.” Werblin had used that exact word to describe attendance while venting to the press on June 24.Would he consider signing a world class player? Werblin's answer: "I don’t think Washington has proven it deserves a superstar.” The boss did not rule out the possibility of the club buying one, however, mentioning Kevin
Keegan by name.
_______________________________So how did the 1979 Diplomats fare in their first year under MSG ownership?

The average attendance for home games was 12,177. In 1978, that figure was 10,800.

Revenue generated from ticket sales had doubled from the previous fiscal year.

On television, the team's local broadcasts were far outperforming ABCs nationally televised games.

Recorded a single season franchise best 19 wins.

Did MSG follow through on statements regarding their vision for the Dips?

"Make the Diplomats the best soccer team in the world as soon as possible.": MSG balked at the price 1978 World Cup star Daniel Passarella of Argentina was asking for. The roster was upgraded, but hardly on a scale to rival the best teams in the world.

"We bought this team as an investment, not to leave town. We did not come in as carpetbaggers." After only seven home games, MSG VP Jack Krumpe said, "...if someone makes us a great offer to move to Boise tomorrow, we (would) take it." That sentiment was followed Werblin's declaration, "If there is not growth by the end of two seasons for us with the club then we'd have to sit down and seriously think about moving." At the time, MSG had only owned the team for eight months.

Perhaps John Carbray best
summed up the Dips situation as it stood at the end of the 1979 season. “I
think Washington is on the right track as a soccer town. Right now we are right
where soccer is at in this country. Soccer is not New York and 70,000 people,
and it’s not Philadelphia and 4,000. It’s us, 12,000. I think Washington will
make it as a soccer town." He then added a caveat that would prove prophetic, “If
the Garden is patient with it.”Next time in "The Sonny Saga," changes come, but would the franchise stay?

Saturday, July 25, 2015

The summer camp season is in full swing. In the '70s, DC area kids could go to soccer camp organized and staffed by the Dips themselves. It must have been incredible to hang out with Paul Cannell as he charmed soccer moms and introduced youthful Yanks to British humor. I never was fortunate enough to attend. My father insisted on Camp Modelawn.

Wednesday, July 15, 2015

"Tricks have always been in the game, like diving or flopping," Marco observes. On April 27, 1980, in a frigid match held in Toronto against the Blizzard, he was the recipient of one of the oldest tricks in all of sports. Jomo Sono of the Blizzard took a shot that Dips goalie Bill Irwin blocked but could not control.

"I got the ball on my foot and thought just to clear it out of the zone," Marcantonio told the press after the game. "But when I heard someone call, 'Marco, Marco' I thought it was (Dips teammate) Nick Mijatovic, so I passed the ball over there. Then I saw what had happened." Calling for the ball was Ivan Lukacevic, a teammate in 1976, but now a member of the opposition, who fired home the only goal of the match.

"He tricked me by using my nickname. It's part of the game. I had no bad feelings about it. We would use every trick in the book to try and win. Professionals are there to win games and if you get tricked it's your fault." An admirable attitude, to say the least!

Time in Washington

Marco, far right, enters the outdoor seating section of the Al-pine Restaurant, a favorite eatery for many of the Dips and theRedskins, as well. Second from right is Don Droege. BobIarusci is in the center of the frame.

Two of Marcantonio's favorite activities during those summers in DC were playing golf and relaxing at the Alpine Restaurant in Arlington, Virginia. "It was like a second home for me, my wife, the Iarusci's, Crescitelli's and later
for the Bradley's, Cruyff's and other Dips. It made history in the Washington area as the preferred restaurant
for initially the Dips, and later the Redskins. It
was always full with politicians and dignitaries and the rich & famous of
Washington & Northern Virginia."

Marco became so close to the owners that he was asked to be the Godfather of one of their children, Marco Valentini.

Life Today

Marco & Iarusci celebrate during a match in 1980.

After the original Diplomats folded, he played four more years with the Montreal Manic and the Cosmos. "I retired after the NASL went under and I moved back to Toronto. I have two boys and a girl who are grown and am an insurance broker." Marco stays quite active now that his professional playing days are behind him. "A lot of golf and I play in a 40 and over soccer league Fridays and Sundays."

He is still close with former teammate and fellow Canadian Soccer Hall of Famer Bob Iarusci. "We grew up together since the age of 16 and were teammates from age 17 through the NASL. We both played for the Cosmos after the Dips and were the Best Man at each others wedding."

"I feel I am kind of a pioneer. We made history in terms of how far football has come in the U.S. and Canada," he states about his time in the NASL. Ever the gentleman, he expressed, "to all Dips fans, my love & regards."

Saturday, July 4, 2015

“I wanted to be a professional footballer since the day I
was born,” Carmine “Marco” Marcantonio recalls. “I like to say football and not
soccer. What is known as football in America is really played with the hands.”
The cordial, multilingual (he is fluent in five languages) Canadian Soccer Hall
of Famer has always been frank when discussing the game, no matter what dialect he uses. On the eve of the 1980 season, when asked what type of
team he would most like to play on, he answered, “one with honest and dedicated
players.”

Rookie Year In Toronto

His career in the NASL began in 1976, when he played with the Toronto Metros-Croatia, winners of Soccer Bowl ’76. “It was a dream to win
a professional championship.” It was with this team he picked up his nickname because his teammates thought his last name was too long. That season, Marco struck up a friendship with renowned Brazilian midfielder Ivair Ferreira. "In their home country, Pele was known as 'The King' and Ferreira was 'The Prince.' Ferreira was in the prime of his career. He took me under his wing and we became close friends. I was out with him the night I met my wife." A key member of that team was Portuguese great Eusebio, who was voted one of the 10 best footballers of the 20th century.

Life As a Diplomat

Marco came to the Diplomats on March 6, 1978, when he joined
the team for a pre-season tour on the west coast, and was signed soon after. His impact was immediate. The '78 Dips won their first 5 games and scored 11 goals in that span. The previous year the team only won ten games and scored thirty goals over the entire campaign. Just one month into the season, Donald Huff of the Washington Post wrote a feature story on Marco's value and primary contributions in that short period.

"Marcantonio has given the Dips the (midfield) stability and leadership the club hasn't seen in some time." For his part, Marco demonstrated his team-first attitude. "There are two kinds of players out there: those who score and receive all the glory and those who work to get the ball to them so they can score. I'm one of those who works to get the ball to someone."

Perhaps the biggest point of contention for Marcantonio in 1978 came via the equipment room. Rather than sewing his full last name on the back of his jersey, it had been condensed to M - TONIO. "I did not ask for that and really didn't like it. I would have preferred if they used my nickname, Marco. In 1979 and 1980 I asked them to restore my full name, which the team did."

The '78 & '79 Dips were as skilled in the pub as they were on the pitch. Paul Cannell and Jim Steele could party all night and play everyday (sounds like a KISS song). Marco looks back fondly at their zest for life. "Paul would do something crazy all the time. He gave it all he had on the field, 100% effort, along with Jimmy (Steele). Paul was one of the better headers and a very colorful and good teammate."

He pauses for a moment to reflect and then chuckles. "Paul and Steely, you never knew how they were going to show up for practice. With Jimmy, he would go puke in the wash room area in the middle of practice. They are both still very dear in my heart. Both of them were like George Best, lived life to its fullest. They were nice men and teammates." Marco himself was not into the bar scene. "I tried religiously to do the things I thought a professional athlete should do...eat right, not overdue nightlife."

1980 Season

After getting knocked out in the first round of the 1979 NASL playoffs, majority owner Sonny Werblin felt the team, "needed a Joe Namath, so he signed Cruyff," Marco states when asked about the 1980 season. "The Dips took on another dimension when they signed Johan. With him we were now major league. It was a pleasure playing with someone of that stature, but I had played with Eusebio, so it was not the first time I had played with a big name player."

Cruyff & Marco, 1980.

The ups, downs and turmoil of Washington soccer that summer have been well documented. Cruyff and Head Coach Gordon Bradley bickered most of the season and the team never realized its full potential.

Marcantonio recalls strife right from the start. "Johan hurt his knee in our first game (in Tampa) and then badly hurt his foot in our second game at Tulsa. It was like going to hell to play in Tulsa because of the narrow field (only 60 yards wide) and being up against the wall on the sideline."

"Johan was playing hurt all throughout the beginning of the season and the expectations were very high." After 10 games, the Dips had a record of 3-7 and seemed to lack any direction or offensive punch. Something had to be done to salvage the season. Marco says that something was a meeting of the minds.

"Bradley did not try to sit down with Johan and pick his brain." In other words, Cruyff felt dissed. "Joe Mallet (assistant coach) was Bradley's mentor, the wise old man. Mallet finally had the two sit down and work out the British system and the Dutch system of 'total soccer.' When we went more with the Cruyff system we went on a run and had a great time." The Dips won six straight, outscoring opponents 22-7 during that span.

Friday, June 19, 2015

The original Diplomats played their final games on the other side of the world, a series of Friendlies in Indonesia, Hong Kong and Japan, in November, 1980. Dips forward Mario Luna was kind enough to share a few of his personal snapshots from that trip.

"With Gary Darrell before a match."

"The beaches of Macao with Thomas Rongen."

"In a street in Hong Kong with Barney Boyce."

Luna in action against the Japanese National Team, November 9, 1980, Fukuoka, Japan.

Saturday, May 30, 2015

Thursday, May 7, 2015

It might be strange to think of a franchise that only had a
life span of 7 years as having two tenures, but that was the case of the late,
great Washington Diplomats.During their first three years of existence, the
Dips struggled to present an image of a major sports franchise, playing the
vast majority of their home games at Woodson Stadium, a high school facility in
suburban Virginia. The man who brought the team out of the doldrums of suburbia
and placed them on Washington’s biggest athletic stage is John Carbray. His
conception of what soccer in the District could be, as opposed to what it
had been, galvanized the franchise.

Steve Danzanky, team owner and president, knew he had found someone special in Carbray when searching for a new general manager in the autumn of 1976. “We were at Woodson (High School) and looking to move to the next step. Phil Woosnam (NASL Commissioner) told me about a guy in San Jose who was turning NASL soccer into a happening.” That guy was John Carbray, who was the GM for the San Jose Earthquakes. "We called John, he came to DC and I introduced him to some of the board members." The team interviewed more than 15 candidates during the search process. "John had a vision that if you play in a small-time venue, you give the appearance of being small-time."

Carbray left a career in
baseball for the NASL.

Team management was instantly sold on Carbray's vision. "I got the best and I'm tickled to death about it," Danzansky told the Washington Post at the time. "He (Carbray) is a pro and he believes in making sports events a fun bargain for people." Carbray, who had turned down offers from five other NASL clubs and one from the San Francisco Giants in order to transform the Dips, was equally sold on his new employers. "I decided to go with an ownership that realizes it takes talent, a good stadium and solid ownership to make a professional sport franchise really take off."Carbray officially took the reins on Monday, October 3, 1977, and immediately set out to change the franchise's image. On December 22, the team announced it would play all home games at RFK Stadium, leaving their old humble abode in Northern Virginia. "Whatever city you're in, you've got to play in the best facility available to be truly in the major leagues," Carbray said. "It's very hard to project the image of a major league team if people ask where you play and you say at a high school." On the same day Steve Danzansky announced the team's first TV deal, in which five road games would be televised on WTTG, now known as Fox 5 Washington. A radio deal was completed with WTOP, 1500 AM, to broadcast all games.

Carbray designed the classic Dips jerseys, perhaps the team's most enduring legacy.

Aesthetically, Carbray personally redesigned the Diplomats conservative uniforms and primary color scheme from navy blue and white to a flashy red, white and black coupled with a new logo. Collaborating with Angelo Anastasio, an Adidas representative from Los Angeles, several different versions were created and scrutinized. Carbray wanted to honor Adidas and their relationship with the NASL, thus the tri-stripes across the chest and trefoil logo dotting the letter I. In February of 1977, Carbray officially changed the emphasis of the team name from Diplomats to Dips. The local press used the circumstance as fodder whenever they could, but it caught on instantly with fans. "It's easier to yell, 'Go Dips' as opposed to 'Go Diplomats'," Carbray reasoned.

Carbray combined an innovative sports mind with a P.T. Barnumesque flair to make the summer of 1977 the most attended season in franchise history at the time. In an era when it was unheard of for a professional sports team to televise home games, the Dips GM did just that. John Feinstein described Carbray's local broadcast of the Dips vs San Jose Earthquakes game at RFK Stadium "a major departure from professional sports tradition." This idea was the forerunner of the Comcast and MASN type networks that thrive today.

The 1977 Dips lacked rhythm and consistency on offense. They were shutout eight times and scored a modest 31 goals in 26 games. Heading into a July 4 match against the Rochester Lancers, the team had lost seven of their last eight games, during which they only found the back of the net five times. With his genius for showmanship, Carbray turned the evening into part soccer, part exorcism (see right). How much supernatural help the team received is unknown, but the Dips won, 1-0.

Carbray continued to remold the franchise during the off-season prior to the 1978 campaign. His most important decision was hiring Gordon Bradley, who would lead the team to the playoffs each year while he was in DC, as the new head coach. The two would build the '78 roster into one that was respected league wide. Additionally, Carbray again demonstrated his creativity in promoting and enhancing the soccer experience for Diplomats fans. He implemented a multicolored field to augment the games visual appeal, painting the penalty area red, the goal box black and a ball at midfield. "When you walked into the stadium, it just looked fun already," Carbray's wife Diane recalls.

The field at RFK: The picture at left shows the pitch before Carbray's innovative and colorful modifications.

﻿

Musically speaking, the summer of 1978 in America belonged to Andy Gibb's Shadow Dancing and the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack. In Dips country, however, it was a Carbray tune that ruled the airwaves. Elliott Dannenberg's ad agency created, at Carbray's behest, a jingle that was heard on local radio ads and Dips games as the team took the field, Get Your Kicks With the Dips.

The franchise continued its ascent under Carbray during the 1979 season. The addition of Don Droege, Joe Horvath, Bob Iarusci and the return of Alan Green, who remained in England during the 1978 season, helped the Dips achieve a club best 19-9 record. In just three years Carbray transformed the Dips from an afterthought on the DC sports scene to a NASL contender and source of pride and entertainment for tens of thousands in the national capital area.The relationship between Carbray and the Danzansky family was instrumental in this transformation. Joseph Danzansky, father of team president Steve Danzansky, took Carbray "under his wing," without intruding on his role as GM. In turn, Carbray "respected how the Danzansky's were, and still are, giants in the community." Steve Danzansky describes Carbray as, "a great guy with a big heart. I have nothing but respect and admiration for John and his family."

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Growing up in the DC area during the 70s, the Dips were the only game in town during the summer months. Their evolution from playing at a suburban Virginia high school to RFK Stadium was both exciting and maddening from a fan's point of view. No other team would send players to local malls trying to drum up an audience. Yet the players who made these appearances were always friendly and glad to talk to a kid who idolized professional athletes.